What should I do if I've committed blaspheme terribly?  I was baptized when I was six (I think), and I've gotten closer to God, left, gotten closer, and left.  Blaspheme is something I struggle with.  Why do I do these things?  I'm fourteen now.

Sincerely,
Watching My Mouth

Dear Watching My Mouth,

We can be forgiven for using the Lord’s name in vain… but only if we repent and turn to the Lord.  God has provided a means for all sins to be forgiven – His Son’s blood.  When we become christians (read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” for details on how to become a christian – this is important because part of becoming a christian involves mature, adult choices that were impossible for a six-year-old to make), all sins are forgiven, even our previous blasphemy against God.  There is no single act that is so evil that Jesus’ blood can’t wash it away (1 Jn 1:7).  Many of the first-century christians had horrible sins in their pasts (1 Cor 6:9-11).  The key is to get up every time you fall down (Pr 24:16).  Continue to work on cleaning up your language, and you will eventually succeed.

Is sex before marriage a sin?

Sincerely,
Unsure

Dear Unsure,

Sex before marriage is a sin.  From the very beginning, God designed marriage as the realm for sexual relations (Gen 2:24).  1 Cor 7:1-2 states that any relations outside of marriage are fornication.  God tells us to flee all fornication (1 Cor 6:18).  Even though sexual immorality is rampant in our culture and accepted by our society, that doesn’t make it right.  Christians are called to honor God and honor marriage by leaving the marriage bed pure and undefiled (Heb 13:4).

Hello! I have a question: are heaven and Earth literally going to be destroyed?  Or is it the old (current) world system that will be destroyed, but not Earth itself? I'm just curious about this.  Also, I'm curious if what Revelation 21:1 says by a "New heaven and a new earth" means that the Earth will be cleansed by fire and regenerated just like in the days of Noah (only the world was destroyed by a flood in Noah's day).  I just hope that the end of the world will be like Noah's day; it will be cleansed by fire and regenerated like the world was destroyed by the Flood, but Earth itself wasn't destroyed.

Sincerely,
Looking Ahead

Dear Looking Ahead,

1 Pet 3:10-12 tells us that eventually God will destroy the earth by fire.  After that, He will establish a spiritual universe (heaven) where those who love Him will exist forever.  Here is a list of verses that teach on that subject:

1. 1 Cor. 15:42-50
   • vs. 47 says our bodies will not consist of earthly components
   • vs 50 says flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
2. Lk 20:34-38
   • vs 36 says we will have bodies like angels
3. Jhn 14:2-4
   • vs 2 says we will dwell where God dwells (heaven)
   • vs 3 says Jesus is preparing a place for us now
4. 2 Pet 3:10-13
   • vs 10 says that when God uses fire to destroy the earth, He will both destroy the works of the earth and the earth itself.
5. Heb 1:10-12
   • vs 11 says the earth and heavens will perish like an old garment
   • vs 12 says that the earth and heavens will be changed like one would change and put on new clothes
   • the new heaven and earth will not be a redo of this earth, but an entirely new garment.
6. Matt 24:35
   • Heaven and earth are temporary, unlike God’s Word
7. Heb 11:13
   • faithful people are considered strangers and wanderers on this earth
8. Php 3:20
   • our citizenship is in heaven, not on earth
9. Jhn 18:36
   • Jesus refers to His kingdom as not being “of this world”

     In Exodus 12, God said that you must perform a ritual by eating a lamb or goat.  Are we still supposed to eat a lamb or goat to remember Passover?

Sincerely,
Hungry

Dear Hungry,

The Passover was a Jewish festival that the Jews celebrated every year in remembrance of when God ‘passed over’ their homes during the Egyptian curses (Ex 12:27).  It was a Jewish feast for Jewish people – christians are not bound to keep it.  We have a new Passover lamb, and we celebrate His sacrifice every time we take the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 5:7).

     When you interpret Scripture, either by preaching to your congregation, answering questions on this site, or just studying Scripture in your spare time, are your biblical interpretations infallible? Yes or no?

Sincerely,
Do You Think You're Perfect?

Dear Do You Think You're Perfect,

We aren’t infallible here at AYP; we are just men.  That is exactly why we always give Bible verses for everything that we teach.  That way, you as the reader, can compare what we say to the Bible… and we hope you do!  The Bible is the perfect guide to life, and it is the power of God given to us for our salvation (Rom 1:16).  Always believe the Bible and test everything anyone tells you against its words (1 Jn 4:1).  That includes us.